Glycerol ethers (previously also called alkoxy-glycerols) have shown several important medical effects. Oral administration of glycerol ether in conjunction with radiation therapy reduces the number of harmful radiation effects: leucopenia and thrombocytopenia are partly or fully prevented. In patients having certain tumor diseases a lower mortality is obtained in a group which has been given glycerol ethers as prophylactic treatment as compared to a group which was not given these substances. Experiments both with humans and animals have shown that the glycerol ethers improve the bodily immunity defense mechanism.
In the human body glycerol ethers are found mainly in bone marrow, liver, mother's milk and placenta. The glycerol ethers are found in larger quantities mainly in shark liver oil.